ELIZABETH — The southbound truck lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike have been reopened, ending a closure of more than six hours after a man was killed in an eight-car accident Wednesday afternoon. The closure caused a traffic jam that stretched for 12 miles at its peak, authorities said.

The accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. on the turnpike’s outer southbound roadway, near Newark Liberty International Airport, said Joe Orlando, a spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. The incident, which was still under investigation late Wednesday, involved two tractor-trailers, a dump truck, a box truck, a pickup truck and three cars, Orlando said.

The driver of the pickup truck was killed, Orlando said. Authorities did not disclose his name or hometown on Wednesday.

Southbound traffic from the eastern and western spurs was diverted to the car lanes near Interchange 14, Orlando said. The resulting traffic jam had grown to about 12 miles by 5:30 p.m., he said, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation warned drivers along Route 95 to steer clear of the turnpike, Orlando said.

The lanes were reopened around 7:45 p.m., Orlando said. The delay was so severe that traffic was still crawling an hour later.

ELIZABETH — The southbound truck lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike have been reopened, ending a closure of more than six hours after a man was killed in an eight-car accident Wednesday afternoon. The closure caused a traffic jam that stretched for 12 miles at its peak, authorities said.

The accident occurred around 1:30 p.m. on the turnpike’s outer southbound roadway, near Newark Liberty International Airport, said Joe Orlando, a spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. The incident, which was still under investigation late Wednesday, involved two tractor-trailers, a dump truck, a box truck, a pickup truck and three cars, Orlando said.

The driver of the pickup truck was killed, Orlando said. Authorities did not disclose his name or hometown on Wednesday.

Southbound traffic from the eastern and western spurs was diverted to the car lanes near Interchange 14, Orlando said. The resulting traffic jam had grown to about 12 miles by 5:30 p.m., he said, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation warned drivers along Route 95 to steer clear of the turnpike, Orlando said.

The lanes were reopened around 7:45 p.m., Orlando said. The delay was so severe that traffic was still crawling an hour later.